Heir of Tragedy
by Xyra Kaze
Summary: Kaname starts moving his pieces into checkmate, little does he know that he too is a playing piece, equal to his own Knight, Zero, in the darker game of another.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: I just realisedhow long it's been since I posted anything. I hope you guys enjoy this. It is a product of my sleep deprived mind.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Vampire Knight**

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 **Chapter 1**

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A soft lullaby hung in the air, blocking out the sounds of war going on outside as a petite body moved gracefully about the library. This war was her fault. A foolish mistake she fully intended to fix.

One by one, she grabbed books from the shelves and threw them in the fire. Books of their history and their magic; all things the next generation would never know. She did not want them to repeat her mistake.

Her mate opened and closed the front door as she picked up her current diary; the last book that needed to be burnt. He called out to her, even though he already knew where she was and walked into the library as her diary landed in the flames.

"Lysandra, what have you done?" His eyes skipped from the empty shelives to the ashes and fresh books in the fire place, finally settling on her anxious expression.

"I'm sorry, Kaname, but this has to end." Her eyes pleaded with her mate's for understanding as her humming came to an end. Kaname may be the King of Vampires, but he did not resort to violence unless absolutely necessary. This war was foolish and unneeded. She hoped he could see their situation as she did.

"Is it true what the villagers say? Did you give your blood to humans?" Kaname asked, trying to see things from her point of view as he watched his mate shift the books around in the fire place with a poker.

"Yes." Lysandra answered softly. She moved to her mate and took a hold of his hands. "You have to understand. If vampires keep using humans to fight this war then the entire reason for revealing ourselves to them will be mute. The human species will become extinct."

"But, my love, our blood is poisonous to humans." Kaname searched her face for answers, hoping an explanation would take away the trepidation he felt. "Your kindness will only end in their slow and painful deaths."

"Not if you give them a large enough amount to kill them instantly." She explained, moving to the table. "Their hearts stop for one minute before they reawaken."

"Reawaken as what?" Kaname didn't like where this was going. He had learned not to mess with the laws of nature a long time ago.

"They are still human, but stronger, faster and more powerful." Lysandra took the only cup on the table and drank the molten iron. "Now, they simply need a weapon to hunt the ex-humans."

"Then why are you burning our books? These are records of our family, our magic, our entire race." Kaname questioned, trying to piece her actions together, but his heart grew heavier as Lysandra smiled sadly. She knew what she had to do, but regretted the pain it would cause her mate. She hoped that he would one day be able to forgive her.

Reaching into the connection of their blood bond with a single thought, she took control of Kaname's body, holding him in place. The look of betrayal on his face was enough to break her heart, but she couldn't stop now. Lysandra ripped out her own heart and stumbled to the fire place.

"Lysandra, wait." Kaname begged, finally understanding what she intended to do. "Please don't do this. There has to be another way."

"I'm sorry, my love." She replied with tears in her eyes. Opening the gate in front of the fire place and ignoring the few books that fell from the pile, Lysandra screamed in pain as she sat in the scorching heat.

Kaname could do nothing but watch as his mate spat the silver liquid onto her heart which she held in her hands. Both Purebloods screamed as the flames raged, the molten iron and the heart becoming one. The spell ended with the death of the female Pureblood and the fire, releasing control of Kaname's body, but he was only met with pain.

He fell to his hands and knees, the shattered blood bond too much to handle. Tears, pain and insanity became his life. Kaname raked his body with his own claws, desperate to keep the heartache and insanity at bay, but there was no escaping it.

Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours until finally what laid on the floor was more beast than human. Kaname dragged himself forward, digging through the ashes of his history and his mate until he found the weapons Lysandra had sacrificed herself to make. What was left of his sanity turned into determination. He would complete the dying wish of his mate. Kaname forced himself to stand and walk out the house. He would find Lysandra's hunters.

Travelling from village to village, the Pureblood followed every rumor of the Hooded Woman, taking down as many ex-humans as he could without losing focus until he found them. Kaname gave the hunters the weapons and told them of the Hooded Woman's sacrifice.

Slowly he made his way back to what was left of his home and descended into his family vault, he hoped the war would turn in Lysandra's favour. He had done all he could, but with insanity eating away at his mind there was nothing more he could do. Entering into an eternal sleep, Kaname prayed for a better future, unaware of the darkness stealing the ashes of his mate and her charred diary.

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 **Author's note: I hope you guys enjoyed that. Please review and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading my story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Author's note: Hey everyone. I'm so sorry that it took me two years to continue this story. Please don't skip the rewrite of this chapter, I changed and added quite a few things._**

 ** _DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vampire Knight_**

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 _ **Chapter 2**_

Kaname stopped in front of the headmaster's office, knocking once before walking in and closing the door. Kaien smiled in greeting, dropping two blood tablets into a wine glass filled with water. Kaname took the offered glass and sat down, swirling the red liquid as the headmaster walked around his desk and took a seat, lacing his fingers together.

Kaien watched the deliberately slow and sure movements of the Pureblood. He was well aware of what Kaname wanted to talk about, but it was a sensitive topic for him; and so he needed a moment for himself. Heaving a heavy sigh, Kaien started, "I couldn't hide it from you, Kaname, but after all, you really are in a class of your own. Without a drop of human blood coursing through you or your ancestors' veins, your lineage is rare among vampires now. You're the vampire of vampires; a Pureblood vampire. The powers of your ancestors have been passed on to you and it is for that reason your existence strikes fear in the hearts of other vampires."

"Headmaster Cross, it is because I trust you that I have avoided bring up this issue in the past." Kaname placed the untouched glass of artificial blood on the coffee table in front of him and stood, walking to the headmaster's desk. Leaning his hands against the desk, he continued, "Regardless, the steps you have taken are only minimal at best. Why do you continue to treat Zero like an ordinary student? Stay this course and Zero will destroy your pacifist ideology you've worked so hard for."

Kaname's nails dug into the desk in a moment of unchecked rage. His main concern was Yuki; he didn't care about anyone else. Zero was constantly at her side and if he were to lose control around her, he could very likely end up killing her. And that was something he wouldn't allow, even if it meant ending the boy's life.

"Kiryu's parents were killed by a vampire and somehow in that blood bath only he miraculously survived. How can I be more cruel to him?" Kaien responded quietly, his heart aching for the young orphaned boy. He truly saw Zero as his own son, and it killed him that he couldn't do more for him.

"But I must tell you, no ordinary vampire killed his family. It was a Pureblood vampire like me." Kaname stood up straight, looking at the marks he left in the desk. He was aware of Zero's past and so he understood where the headmaster was coming from, but that was no excuse. "You of all people should know. In your day you saw many a human life end in a miserable, wretched way, back when you, Kaien Cross, were a vampire hunter."

The headmaster lowered his head and sighed in shame and regret. If he had only known then what he knew now, the road to his dream wouldn't have been this long. There was so much of his past he wished he could erase, but that was a fool's dream.

"It will happen, Zero's fate is truly horrible, but it's something he can't avoid. Any human who's bitten by a Pureblood's fangs will suffer one of two fates. Die from the loss of blood or unfavourably survive it and suffer the pain of slowly transforming into a vampire." Kaname truly felt sorry for the boy. Ex-humans weren't supposed to exist and it was a problem the entire vampire race needed to solve.

"Other vampires don't possess this dark power that Pureblood's have. He was only a human, yet he resisted the powerful vampire instincts for four years. I respect his strength of will, however…" Kaname stopped mid-sentence as the smell of blood wafted into the office. It was a scent he was very familiar with.

"What's wrong, Kaname?" Kaien asked, immediately worried by Kaname's tense body language.

"I smell blood." Kaien stood up, left alone calling, as Kaname disappeared with the speed only a Pureblood could achieve.

Kaname felt his heart drop to his stomach as he ran as fast as he could towards the origin of the smell of blood. There was only one vampire on campus that would dare bite Yuki and that wasn't anyone from the night class. In less than a heartbeat, he stood at the bottom of the staircase, carefully watching and assessing the scene in front of him.

Zero stood, frozen in complete and utter shock, his heart wrenching at his despicable actions. He couldn't believe that he had dropped so low as to actually attack the love of his life. Taking a step forward he stammered, "Yuki, I… I'm so sorry."

The hunter felt his heart shatter when Yuki, who had always felt safe by his side, took a step back in absolute fright. Having seen enough to make his blood boil, Kaname forcibly calmed himself as he walked up the stairs, "Yuki."

"Is that you, Kaname?" Yuki asked in a timid voice, dragging her eyes away from her friend, finally feeling safe now that her saviour was here to protect her.

"You have been reduced to a blood thirsty beast, Zero Kiryu." Kaname growled, choosing the exact words that came out of the Hunter's mouth on a daily basis, and stood in front of Yuki, protectively hiding her from Zero's sight. Yuki's heart stopped dead in its tracks as her first memory of Kaname came to mind. Thinking that Kaname would now do to Zero what the Pureblood had done to that other vampire on that snowy night, she moved to stand between Zero and Kaname, "No, Kaname, please don't."

"Yuki." Zero whispered in agony, completely horrified as Yuki fainted from blood loss. He caught her limp body by reflex, but was unable to process anything further than that. Temper threatening to explode once more, Kaname stepped closer to the hunter, "You devoured her mercilessly, didn't you, Zero? So much so that she can't even stand on her own."

Zero had been a part of his plan, a knight to protect his precious Yuki, but he had failed at his one task and Kaname wanted to kill him for what he'd done. In fact the hunter would have been dead, if just Yuki wasn't so attached to the boy. But Kaname would hurt him, hurt him as much as he had just hurt Yuki, "How was Yuki's blood? Was it delicious?"

Complete disgust ran through Zero's mind and soul, so much so that he covered his face, still unable to move. Kaname picked Yuki up and walked up the stairs with his precious burden, immediately sensing the headmaster's presence, "Headmaster."

"Yes, I know." The headmaster sighed, repositioning his glasses. He wished he could take Zero's pain away, wished that he could somehow return Zero to his human form, but again, that was a fool's wish.

A pit opened beneath Zero's feet, dragging him down into the abyss of despair, until he couldn't tell up from down. There was no bottom to this abyss, no escaping it; just like how there was no escaping what he'd done. He had hurt her. The one person he had sworn to protect from every bloodsucker in the world. He…he just hadn't realised he would have to protect her from himself. He had always called Kuran a monster, a beast in human form, thinking that he would betray Yuki one day. It was ironic that he, himself, would the one to betray her. He was as much of a monster as Kuran and all of the Night Class

The headmaster neared the young man, moving slowly as not to startle him. In all his years as a hunter, ex-humans had always fascinated him, but now he took no joy in watching the boy suffer. Kaien took a hold of Zero's arm, guiding him away, but Zero didn't care. He couldn't see anything over the white noise in his head. He didn't deserved to be alive. He hoped he was being taken to an executioner.

Kaien sighed internally, feeling as if the peace here at the academy was slowly unravelling; as if this was just the start of their troubles. Kaname had been right during their meeting. He needed to take further actions to ensure Zero didn't hurt anyone else, especially himself. He was aware of how the hunter felt about vampires, and thus himself and he was afraid he would do something rash. The headmaster didn't have an answer to this problem, but it wasn't as simple as moving Zero to the Night Class.

The Hunter Association collected semi-annual reports on Zero's condition, where Kaien would have to summarise the daily actions of the boy. They claimed that it was necessary to assess whether he had turned into a threat or not, but Kaien knew better than to trust the Association. Still, if they got word that Zero was transferred to the Night Class, he would be added to someone's execution list, since he never received Shizuka's blood to stabilize him.

His next meeting with the President of the Association was tonight and he was dreading it already, for Zero's sake and for the relative peace at the academy. Kaien stopped in front of Zero's dorm room and opened the door with a sight, "Everything will be okay. I'll take care of things."

Stepping into his room, Zero closed the door without so much as a reply. The headmaster was a delusional fool. This was not something that he could sweep under the rug and hope there would be no repercussions. They couldn't pretend this never happened, besides he didn't deserve that. He deserved to suffer. Numbly he walked to the basin, avoiding looking into the mirror as he removed his jacket and shirt, throwing them into the hamper. Opening a tap, he didn't bother to wait for the water to warm up as he splashed water on his face and neck, scrubbing harshly to remove any trace of blood.

His thoughts drifted to Yuki. What did she think of him? Did she hate him? He wanted to run to her and apologize, beg her for her forgiveness, but that wouldn't happen. He didn't deserve her forgiveness. He didn't deserve to be part of her life. He didn't deserve to be a part of anyone's life.

Grabbing the towel next to him, he dried his face and slung it around his neck. Zero slumped down onto the floor, leaning back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling as the beginning stages of tears stung his eyes. Yuki had stepped away from his touch. She had hid behind Kaname. He wanted to hate Kaname, hate him for choosing the exact words that would deal him a blow deeper than any physical wound, but Kaname was right. Everything the Pureblood had said was the truth. That was the worst part of it all, what disgusted him most, what ripped him apart the most as he finally dragged himself onto the bed.

Yuki's blood had been delicious. He wanted more, wanted everything she could give him. It had been easy to pretend that he wasn't turning into the very thing he despised most. Easy to pretend that his strange hunger was something he could ignore, but that was all over now. He was truly the monster in this story, but he would end that one way or another.

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Frustrated Kaname stared down at the chessboard on his desk. The pawns and castles had been moved into his desired positions. The nobles and Yuki had been moved to the academy, but things were falling into place too slowly for his liking. Zero wasn't going to last much long if last night was an indication of his remaining strength. After being able to control himself for four years, something unheard of, Kaname had thought Zero would have lasted longer. His plan needed to be sped up, if only for the sake of Yuki's protection.

Then there was the strange prophecy recorded on an old scroll he kept locked in his bottom drawer that he needed to consider. It had appeared on his desk out of nowhere and no one in the night class had seen or heard anything, which was a great concern for Kaname, especially if Seiren had been unaware of it. It seemed that he wasn't the only one playing games, but he refused to be a pawn in someone else's schemes.

Staring into the distance, a slight movement in the shadows caught his attention, however Kaname saw the man before he felt his presence. The man chuckled and Kaname raised an elegant eyebrow as the man said, "Did you like the little gift I left for you?"

"It is a very interesting piece of information." Kaname responded, as if the scroll was little to no concern to him, and laced his fingers together and sat back, taking in all the visible features of the stranger. He had light, slightly blemished skin, ordinary brown eyes and was well-built, but that was all that could be seen under the long brown cloak he wore.

"But you haven't figured out what it means, have you?" The man chuckled once more, removing his hood and taking a seat in front of Kaname's desk. The man knew showing his human heritage would put the Pureblood on uneven footing.

"And I suppose you have the answers I need?" Kaname narrowed his eyes at the man's actions. Information was better than gold in the vampire world and this man was showing his vulnerability of being human so nonchalantly as if it didn't matter at all.

"They don't call me the 'All-Knowing Dark One' for nothing." The man smiled smugly, leaning forward, his forearms on his knees. "Once the form of purity, now torn into a demon and darkness, but when demon and darkness become one, peace shall return to all the realms."

"And what will this information cost me?" Kaname said bluntly, cutting to the chase. Information always come at a price in his world.

"If you were the man you used to be, you could solve it on your own." The man mused out loud, watching for any small reaction from the Pureblood, but Kaname simply continued staring at him.

"I think it's about time you woke." The man said, staring into Kaname's eyes, the man's own eyes flashing red before disappearing without a trace. Kaname opened his mouth to call after the man, but was unable to utter a sound as pain shot straight through his heart. Doubling over in his chair, Kaname clutched at his heart, trying to control the pain until a sharp pain in his mind knocked the Pureblood unconscious.

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 _ **Author's note: So now Kaname has awoken and things are about to get interesting. Pleas review and tell me what you think. Sorry again.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's note: So here is the next chapter. I'm so sorry if the beginning is quite annoying but it is a necessary evil I'm afraid. Thank you to everyone that followed, added to favs and reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter._**

 ** _LuanRina: Thank you for your review. I'm not such a big fan of Yuki myself so the story will be moving away from her, but for now she has to annoy you for a little bit longer. XD_**

 ** _DISCLAIMER: I do not own Vampire Knight_**

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 ** _Chapter 3_**

 _He wandered around aimlessly, all his emotions slowly fading into a numb abyss of nothingness as voices of hatred and fear rang in his mind. Was he really the monster the villagers claimed him to be? He had been kind, he had helped his village survive and had killed those who would dare bring destruction to him home. He hadn't thought twice about his substantially longer life. Was he really the only one who didn't age? And why was that so bad? He had been born this way, he couldn't change even if he wanted to._

 _However, his village had not been the only one; it seemed this entire world was full of destruction and hatred. Many of the villages he wandered through were in the grips of devastation. Their houses were burnt down and their children laid dead from blood loss. The people gathered their pitch forks and fire to drive him out the village as soon as they sensed his presence, calling him wrong and evil. Had other people like him done this? Why couldn't he find the others that were like him?_

 _Stopping under some thick foliage within a forest, a wave of exhaustion hit him, forcing him to lean against the nearest tree. The sun had been brutal this morning, leaving him weak and thirsty. Sliding down onto the soft grass, he closed his eyes, needing just one moment to regain his strength. Was this to be to his life? Running from village to village, never having a place to call home? What kind of existence was that? He laid in despair, his emotional turmoil zapping more of his energy, prolonging one moment into a few minutes._

 _"Who are you?" A quiet, ferocious voice commanded from above him. His eyes snapped open, his body moving on instinct, putting a safe distance between himself and the beautiful woman in front of him; and beautiful she was. With long, slightly wavy silver her brushing against her hips, completely blemish free skin and memorising amethyst eyes, she embodied the splitting image of an angel._

 _"Who are you?" She growled, repeating her question, carefully watching every movement the man made._

 _He opened his mouth to answer her question, but closed it as he realised he did not have an answer to her question. He had no name for he had no family, he did not even have a home. The woman was taken aback by the emotional turmoil raging within the man's eyes. It was a simple question, one that anybody could answer within seconds. Rephrasing the question, she asked, "What is your name?"_

 _"I have no name." He snapped harshly, embarrassed and ashamed to lack something that others were given at birth, but he had no memories of parents and no memories of a childhood. It was as if he had been born an adult._

 _"My name is Lysandra." The woman said after a quiet moment as she regarded the man once more. He had answered her question truthfully and it was obvious he was starving, but he made no move to attack her. Moving from her defensive position, she caught the man as his strength wavered once more, helping him into a sitting position against the tree. Sitting across from him, Lysandra queried, "Do you had a home?"_

 _The man shook his head in answer, staring at the pulse in her neck, finally feeling the pain and hunger of not having fed for several weeks. Lysandra made her mind up at the man's restraint and asked, "Are you thirsty?"_

 _He nodded, groaning softly as Lysandra offered him her neck. He moved towards her slowly, afraid if he moved too quickly he would lose what little control he had left. Lysandra held the man as he licked her bite area, kissing it softly as his fangs punctured her skin. Cradling him in her arms as he drank deeply, Lysandra said, "From now on your name is Kaname Kuran."_

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"Lord Kaname?" Seiren called softly, the worry in her voice evident to the Pureblood as he was pulled from his dream. Sitting up straight, Kaname looked at Seiren, but saw only Lysandra. Lysandra's laugh and smile when she was happy, her tears and heartache when she was sad or frustrated, and the fire in her eyes when she was angry or was about to get stubborn. He experienced the pain he had felt when their blood bond broke as she threw her heart into their fire place.

Blinking twice, Kaname dragged his mind to the here and now, sorting through the different memories of the past and the present. This was Seiren calling his name, waiting patiently for his reply, knowing not to over step boundaries in actually voicing her concern. Fixing his features into that of someone in control of everything, he inquired, "What is it, Seiren?"

"All the Night Class students have returned to their dorms, my lord." Seiren responded in a matter of fact voice, not a word about his slip up in composure. Kaname nodded, not remembering why that was important at the moment. He had other more important things on his mind, "Seiren, I would like you to gather any and all information on a man named 'The Dark One'."

"Yes, my lord." She said, placing her hand over heart and bowing at the waist before disappearing to begin her hunt. Now alone, Kaname allowed the slight panic in his mind to come to the forefront of his thoughts. What day was it? What happened before he passed out? His mind scrambled for answers, mixing the past with the present.

 _"Do you know what you are?" Lysandra asked once he finished drinking from her, licking the wounds until they closed. Kaname shook his head. No one had been able to tell him why he was so different from all those around him. "You are a Pureblood and that means you must be strong."_

 _"Kaname." Yuki chimed merrily, running to hug him as he came into the house for one of his weekly visits. Yuki smiled up brightly at him, squeezing tightly as he returned her hug. His heart swelled at her actions, actions that no other would have dared to do._

Kaname shook his head, trying to reel in his heart, mind, body and soul; the two different versions of himself were at war, tearing him apart on the inside. He was not the ancient Kaname, he refused to be a ghost of the past, even if fighting that part of him meant he would lose a piece of who he was now. He needed a middle ground, a place where the two could become one without sweeping him away; he needed an anchor. Someone that could bring out the best of both versions and force the bad sides into the darkness.

Lysandra had been that person. She had renewed his will to live and given him a purpose in life, but she was dead. He hadn't been able to stop her or save her. Now it was Yuki. He needed her, needed her to be at his side and keep his moral compass in check, but her heart was torn. She had given a portion of her heart to Kiryu, which meant he needed to be removed from her life, he needed to be brought over to the Night Class where he could be kept away from her.

Feeling Yuki's presence in the Moon dorms, Kaname stood up and left his room, quickly making his was down the halls as he heard Aido conversing with her. Yuki's fear was acid on his soul as he felt the temperature in the building drop. Moving with his vampire speed, he intercepted Yuki's hand, holding it gently as he said, "Please stop, Yuki."

"Kaname, how did you…" She trailed off, shocked to find Aido's ice nothing but steam. Rage bubbling inside the Pureblood, Kaname couldn't stop himself from slapping Aido hard enough to draw blood. How dare he touch Yuki knowing the Pureblood favoured her?! "Did someone ask you to do this?"

"No, I was out of line. I apologise." Aido replied quickly, bending down on one knee, staring at the ground as he realised his mistake. He hadn't meant for things to go this far, but he was just so angry and frustrated. Keeping his gaze on the ground, Aido begged, "Please forgive me, lord Kaname."

"Leave." Kaname commanded, not bothering to respond to the noble's plea. Aido was lucky to get away with a mere slap for what he'd done. Standing up to leave, Aido responded quickly, "Yes."

"That was entirely uncalled for. I'm sorry, Yuki." Kaname apologised once Aido was out of the room.

"No, no, no. It's fine, really." Yuki stammered, putting her fear aside in order to put the situation at ease. She didn't want to cause any further trouble.

"It's all right, Yuki. All I ask is that you just be yourself. You're so different from all the other people I have surrounding me." He said softly, a rare gentleness entering his demeanour as he cupped her face. He knew what she was doing and he did not wish for her to put on a mask for him. "Yuki, you're a warm hearted girl and that is something I treasure."

He needed her just the way she was. Warm, kind and fierce in her concern for other people. She had been that way since the first time he met her and it was one of the things that kept his dark side in check. Clearing the tinge of sadness from his eyes, he removed his hand from her face and started guiding her towards the door as he said, "Now then, you should go. I believe you have class right now. In the future, if you do wish to come back here again I suggest you have Zero accompany you. Considering what he took from you, he owes you at least that much."

"That isn't fair to him! Why are you saying things like that?" She said with a protective fire in her eyes. Kaname was taken aback by her knee-jerk reaction to protect the hunter. What had Kiryu done to deserve such loyalty and devotion?

"You really want to know why?" Kaname queried, his jealousy causing his eyes and voice to harden. Keeping his movements gentle, the Pureblood pulled her collar to the side, revealing Zero's bite marks. "The answer is quite simple. He bit someone I hold dear, and I'm sorry, but I can't just ignore that you got bitten by someone else."

"Kaname, I came here today for a reason." Yuki stated, determined to help Zero no matter Kaname's reasoning. "I have a request."

"Hm?" Kaname responded, surprised by the sudden turn in their conversation.

"The headmaster told me what you want to do, but please don't put Zero in the Night Class." Yuki blurted out, not being able to stand the idea of Zero being moved to some place he would hate.

"And why not?" Kaname inquired, his eyes widening at the fact that the headmaster would reveal his plan to Yuki, knowing she would be hurt by his decision.

"Zero has been fighting this battle all by himself and, for four years, I didn't know anything about it." She revealed quietly, ashamed at her blindness. "I was so close to him the whole time and yet I didn't even see it happening."

"You have a kind heart, but Yuki with this there's no use beating yourself up over it." Kaname tried to comfort the young girl, putting his emotions aside. He didn't like her being in pain over something she had no control over.

"I should have known! When I found out that Zero was a vampire I was totally shocked, but then… well yesterday I…" She trailed off, tears streaming down her face as her heart ached for the hunter. She had been awful, had said such awful things.

"Yuki, I'm sorry. If I could, I would do what you ask, but I'm afraid I can't." Kaname apologised, hating her tears, hating that they were for Zero and hating that he was the one causing them, but he needed her to understand even if it only caused her more pain. "Any human who becomes a vampire will eventually fall to a Level E. Yuki, Zero cares about you and it's obvious he wouldn't want you to see him in that state."

Kaname watched grimly as the horror of that revelation played out on her face, before she threw the door open and ran, leaving him alone to watch from a distance. He was used to being separate from others, but he longed for her acceptance and devotion. Turning around to head to his room, the Pureblood pondered on his plan. It was clear that Yuki would hate him if he forced Zero to move to the Night Class, but how could he protect her if Zero could fall at any moment in the very near future?

The current Kaname wanted to simply remove Zero from existence all together, but ancient Kaname supplied a different answer that would not rip the young girl from his side. He needed Shizuka to give her blood to Zero to stop his decent to a Level E. Perhaps once the hunter didn't have to worry about his sanity, Yuki would be more comfortable leaving the boy behind.

Having made up his mind, Kaname adjourned back to his room, sitting down at his desk. He unlocked his bottom drawer for a pen and paper, remembering the prophecy as the scroll caught his eye. Placing the scroll on his desk, he quickly wrote his invitation to the 'Mad Princess', sending it out with one of the vampire servants before opening the scroll once more.

The Pureblood stared down at the scroll in shock. He knew this handwriting; in fact he was intimately familiar with it. It was Lysandra's beautiful, perfect handwriting. Gently tracing the words, Kaname let himself remember her. She had been the perfect form of purity, always putting others first, always helping those in need and always having a clear picture of what was right and what was wrong. Was this some sort of loophole to bring her back? And if so, was that what he really wanted?

He had proclaimed that he would not be a ghost of the past, but what if she could help destroy the true enemy of the Purebloods? She had been powerful and cunning, she would be such an asset in what was sure to turn into a war. Would he still feel the same about her? And where would that leave Yuki? Deep in his heart he knew the answer, but that was not a truth he was ready to face right now. He needed time to think, time to sort out his jumbled up emotions.

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 ** _Author's note: So at least one aspect of the story has been put into perspective. I'm sorry for the length of this chapter, but I needed to break it off somewhere good for the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think._**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: Hey guys, I would just like you to know that updates might take about two weeks for each chapter. I might update sooner if time allows, but I doubt that will be the case. I would also like you to know that my take on the powers Purebloods possess will differ slightly from the anime. Thank you to those who reviewed, followed and added to favs. I hope you enjoy this**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vampire Knight.**

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 ** _Chapter 4_**

Zero stared down at the floor, the abyss of depression still weighing down on his soul. Class was over. He hadn't bothered attending, hadn't been able to find the motivation to move from this very spot. It was time for the changeover between the Night Class and the Day Class. Those girls fawning over the Night Class like they were anything but a bunch of monsters sickened Zero even if they had no way of knowing the truth. At least Yuki would be there to keep them in check, even if they did try to take things to the extreme. Letting out a sigh, Zero supposed he should go help her, but he had already made up his mind. No one would notice him slipping out the dorms or catch him walking out the school gates; it was the perfect time to leave.

So why was he still here? Why was he sitting on his bed, holding onto a stupid, old photograph? Shifting his gaze to the photo, the hunter allowed himself to remember the day. It had been on their first day of high school. The headmaster had insisted on taking a photo. Yuki had been so happy and he had simply stared blankly at the camera. Zero dropped the photo onto the floor with a scoff and stood up with clenched fists. This was pathetic. He was not waiting for Yuki to tell him everything was okay. This is what he wanted and he wasn't about to let his traitorous emotions change his mind. The hunter picked up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and made to move towards the door, but stopped mid-step as the door swung open from the outside.

Kaien smiled merrily at Zero in greeting, surveying the room behind the young hunter, immediately noticing that the room was empty and the packed bag Zero was carrying. Stepping to the side, the headmaster said, "Oh Zero, I'm glad I caught you. I see you're already packed, good. I need to speak to you in my office, please."

Zero stared at the headmaster, debating whether it was worth hearing the older man out. Maybe this would save him from running away. Kaien was going to tell him that he couldn't stay at Cross Academy anymore. Zero nodded in answer and followed the headmaster, sinking back into his depression. Yuki was the man's daughter, even if she was adopted, and in the eyes of a father what he had done was unforgiveable. However, knowing that didn't stop the twang of pain in Zero's heart. He was about to lose his family a second time. He was used to saying goodbye, it shouldn't have hurt this much, but it did and he had to fight the sting of tears in his eyes.

He had gotten used to them without even noticing it, but now he realized he would miss them. He would miss these two people who had forced their way into his life, trying to get him to live his life. The headmaster that treated him as if he were flesh and blood and Yuki who was always kind and caring, always trying to get him to look on the positive side of things.

Kaien closed the door behind them, keeping an eye on the younger hunter and his current mood. Passing Zero, he sat down at his desk and motioned toward the couch in front of the desk, "Please sit down, Zero."

"You don't have to be so nice about this." Zero snapped harshly, hiding his pain with anger, causing Kaien's eyes to widen in surprise, but sat down anyway, needing the physical support for the emotional blow that was to come. Kaien schooled his features into a neutral expression. What did the boy think he was going to do? Not anything good by the looks of it.

"What I have to say is not easy for me, Zero. And I want you to know that I don't agree with what is about to happen, but I don't have a say in the matter." The headmaster said, keeping his own emotions at bay. He hated this empty, dejected version of the young man and hated that life had been so cruel to him. Zero didn't deserve to be thrown to the wolves, didn't deserve anything life had done to him, but this was Kaname's decision. Anything related to vampires was under the Pureblood's control and Zero was technically a vampire, even if Kaien didn't see it that way.

"What are you talking about?" Zero stared at the headmaster with a blank expression, confusion tearing away at his soul. The headmaster didn't have a choice? Did Yuki suggest this? Did she really hate him now?

"I'm moving you to the Night Class." Kaien cut to the chase, the words like fire in his mouth, but there was no need to prolong the boy's suffering.

"You can't be serious!" Zero growled, clenching his fists as he stood up from the couch, momentarily forgetting his depression and self-hatred. "You want to stick me with all those bloodsuckers?"

"Like it or not you are a vampire now." The headmaster said in a matter of fact tone, slightly relieved at Zero's explosive reaction; anger was better than hopelessness. "And that means Kaname has a say in where you belong in this academy."

"Then I'll leave." Zero growled as he picked up his bag that he had left on the floor. This was proof that leaving was the best option; his only option it seemed. He might be a vampire, but hell would freeze over before he rolled over like some pathetic dog and did anything just because Kuran wanted him to.

"And go where exactly?" Kaien queried harshly. "There is nowhere you could go without the Hunters Association sending someone to eliminate you and that is a reality you need to face right now, Zero."

"Then I'll kill myself, because I would rather die than live with those monsters." Zero said quietly with the conviction of four years of hatred and it was the complete seriousness he said it with that caused the Headmaster to stand up and walk over to the young man. Kaien opened his mouth to counter the statement, but was interrupted by Kaname, "That won't be necessary."

The Pureblood closed the door behind himself. Having heard the conversation from the hallway, he couldn't decide whether he was pleased with the prospect of Zero's demise or disappointed at the lack of fighting spirit the boy's solution to their problem revealed. Turning from the door, he noticed the open surprise on Kaien's face before shifting his gaze to Zero. Zero glared at the Pureblood with all the defiance of his very being, annoyed as Kaname simply stared at him with his usual Pureblood arrogance.

Kaname's world came to a stop as he struggled to tear his gaze from the young hunter. His shock felt like a physical blow to the chest, forcing him to take a step back. This boy…this angry boy who glared at him with unwavering hatred was the spitting image of Lysandra. Right from the silver hair and amethyst eyes to the fire held captive in his glare. It was her. He knew it even without the bond flowing between them. But how? Realizing a second too late that they were waiting for him to continue, Kaname cursed his lack of control and cleared his throat before continuing, "I have decided to allow Zero to remain in the day class."

"May I ask what changed your mind, Kaname?" The headmaster inquired, taking a seat on the armrest of the nearest couch. In all his years of knowing the Pureblood, Kaien had never seen him act so out of character. He was grateful, of course, and Zero may have visibly relaxed, but he could see the anger swelling just below the surface.

"It was a request from Yuki." Kaname replied softly, trying to reel himself in as he watched Zero's eyes widen in shock. For the first time since he met the boy, the hatred and disgust in those eyes was something he couldn't bear; eyes that saw only the monster he could be and not anything of the person who was caged in this immortal flesh. The Pureblood turned to leave, having said what he needed to say and needing time to process this new information, but stopped at Zero's outburst, "You bastard! You have no right to toy with my life like it's some game to you!"

 _"We are stronger, faster, more powerful and live much longer lives than humans." Lysandra explained to Kaname, teaching him the ways of the vampire society as they sat down in her home._

 _"Then why not simply rule and govern them to end this era of destruction?" Kaname asked sincerely. It would simplify the chaos running rampage through the world._

 _"Some Purebloods think the same way as you do." She admitted with a sigh and looked directly at Kaname. "However, we came here to heal the humans and help them rebuild. Always remember, Kaname, we are meant to help those weaker than us. Strength does not give us the right to decide the fate of others."_

"I know." Kaname answered Zero without looking back and walked away before either of the two hunters could reply. It was time to deal with the past, starting with Lysandra.

Zero stared at the Pureblood's retreating form, confusion hitting him like a ton of bricks. Kaname had been acting strange, had looked at him like he was someone else and Zero could have sworn it was sorrow shining in the other's eyes when he had stared at him. It made Zero feel strange and he cursed Kuran for getting inside his head. A new sort of hunger that had nothing to do with his need for blood was forming in his chest. He felt empty… as if he was missing a part of himself… What was wrong with him?

"I think it's time for you to head back to your dorm." The headmaster said, pulling Zero out of his reverie, and stood up from where he sat, quickly adding, "And go back to class tomorrow, Zero."

"Yeah, okay." The young hunter said with a scowl and left without another word. If Kaien was going to act like none of that just happened then Zero wasn't going to stop him. He didn't care, didn't care about Kuran and his weird behaviour. The only thing he did care about was the fact that Yuki hadn't asked for his transfer. She had saved him from a life of misery even after what he had put her through. Zero allowed a small smile to form. She didn't hate him and she didn't want him to suffer. He let those words become a balm for his wounded soul as he struggled to fall asleep.

* * *

Kaname skimmed the bookshelf before him, searching for anything regarding the 'Hooded Woman'. He had secluded himself in the section of the Night Class library that housed the oldest books and documents, where one could find books on vampire charms, their history and most of the aristocrats' lineage. Of course aristocrat families kept their own records of their lineage and most vampires had moved on from vampire charms, which made this the perfect place to be alone. Kaname sighed in frustration as he came up empty on his search once more. These books weren't old enough. They barely scratched the surface of their history. They weren't even old enough to mention Lysandra.

Kaname had suspected this would be the case. It was Lysandra herself who had destroyed their past after all, but if someone had found an ancient scroll containing her handwriting then there must be other records of hers that had survived over the years. The Pureblood clearly remembered some books falling out of the ashes when she walked into the fire. Which meant either one of his descendants or another family of Purebloods must have what he was looking for. And considering he was the last living Kuran, it was most likely another Pureblood family.

Kaname gave a rueful smile. He didn't even really know what he was supposed to be looking for. Perhaps ordinary books could not give him the answers that he was looking for. If Lysandra had mentioned anything of what was currently occurring it would be in one of her personal diaries. Making his way back from the library, Kaname started forming a plan. It would be best to check the international vampire library before requesting to visit another Pureblood family. A sudden visit would bring up too many questions concerning his motivations in why he was searching for such documents.

Kaname had never thought Lysandra would affect his life in such a way again. She had taught him, had helped shape who he had been and she had saved him from a miserable, meaningless existence. He had given it his all and still the world had not turned out as he had hoped. The society they had strived for and the current vampire society was so different. On top of that the war had never ended, it had spread and adapted to the more modern ages. There was so much hatred between the hunters and the entire vampire race. They despised all vampires including the Purebloods who had given them life and who had fought beside them for years.

He had failed. His weaknesses and selfishness had caused a different world with a new chaos. It had been ludicrous to think that the world would fix itself while he laid unconscious in a crypt. To his credit, he hadn't been in the most stable mind set. But this needed to end. It was time to fix the world once and for all, starting with the true enemy to the Purebloods: the Council of Elders.

Kaname had been lucky that his offspring had kept his ideals in mind, even luckier to have been reborn under the care of Juri and Haruka who had outwardly supported peace between all living creatures. He would follow the rules of this current society while slowly bringing back the rules and ideals of the old one.

Kaname focused his gaze, shocked to find himself already standing in his office. Taking a seat as he as he felt Seiren's presence, he waited for her to speak. Seiren handed over a folder and said, "Most of this information we already know. The Dark One is a man, a human, who is of an age unknown. There are very few human texts that mention him. He is an old tale out of their folk lore. The vampire texts either mention him in passing or insist that he is slowly controlling events in the vampire world."

"What kind of events?" Kaname asked, frowning slightly. He was uncomfortable with the thought of a human, who somehow didn't age, controlling things from behind the scenes. He wondered if the Hunters Association had any kind of knowledge about this man.

"He tends to show up when there are large outbreaks of Level E's, but disappears once they have been dealt with." Seiren explained without hesitation. She was frustrated at the minimal amount of information she was able to gather.

"Is there any mention of a name in these texts?" The Pureblood queried as he opened the folder.

"No, my lord." Seiren answered softly, feeling like she had failed him.

"Very well then. Would you mind bringing me the original documents or books you gathered to write this report? And would you please make the necessary arrangements to take a trip to the international vampire library?" Kaname knew she would have done it, but he asked politely anyway. He would not fall into the trap of prideful arrogance.

Seiren left without another word, leaving Kaname to concentrate on the report. The human part of the report gave next to no information and the dates of the sightings of the elusive man seemed to be completely random at first glance, but a horrifying picture was starting to form in the Pureblood's mind. They ranged from 100 years apart to 50 years apart, sometimes even only one year apart, but these were all wars.

Wars between Purebloods, wars between different syndeos and wars between hunters and vampires. Kaname was sure of it. The peace between humans and vampires had always been fragile and sometimes there was no explanation as to why that peace had been broken. What if this man had been there right from the beginning? But that also brought the question of which side of the war he had been controlling or if he was continuously manipulating both the humans and the vampires.

Kaname thanked Seiren once she brought the books and scrolls he had asked for, distractedly saying goodbye as he looked up from the report to the documents now covering every inch of his desk. There was a small divide between the two stacks of books, indicating that one was the human books and the other the vampire books. Shifting his gaze between the two, Kaname almost decided to skip the human books in favour of the vampire books, but decided against that. Any information could give him the upper hand.

Seiren had been correct in saying that the humans considered him folk lore, most of which described him as the guardian who kept monsters away from children or sometimes gave them to the monsters if the children misbehaved. Most stated that the man came from an imaginary place called 'Elijah', which was where he kept the monsters.

Switching over to the vampire books, Kaname read about the distaste the vampires had for the man. A human messing around in the vampire world. Some of the books said that he was a hunter who used a vampire charm to make himself immortal, but not one of the books stated which side of the war he was on, even though some said he caused the wars in the first place. Some said he did it because he wanted the vampire race to go extinct, some said that he hated the humans for involving themselves with vampires and some said that the man had simply gone insane, claiming to be from Elijah.

Kaname sat back for a moment, pensive in his thoughts on the matter. The name was mentioned so many times, in so many different books that it could possibly be the man's name or his family's name. The name didn't matter, but what did matter was that he was someway involved in the hatred between the two races. Kaname needed to know how and he needed to know why. Kaname would need to eliminate him if the answers were more towards the darker side of all this guess work, but that would come later.

For now, he needed to be free of Rido which meant he would be free from the Council of Elders and be able to destroy the entirety of that very organization.

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 **Author's note: So it's only a little bit longer than the other chapters, but at least it's something.**


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